Tensioning means for loom warp beams



July 22, 1952 R. M. TAYLOR 2,604,121

TENSIONING MEANS FOR LOOM WARP BEAMS Filed March 7, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Ray M. Taylor INVENTOR.

BY MM 3% July 22, 1 R. M. TAYLOR TENSIONING MEANS FOR LOOM WARP BEAMS Filed March 7, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Ray M. Toy/or IN V EN TOR. Q0526.

By WW 3M Patented July 22, 1952 OFFICE TENSIONINGMEANS FOR LooM WARP 1 x I BEAMS" 1 v Itayll/hTaylor, Quakertown-,l a.- I

Application March 7, ISSO Serial-No. mazes This invention relates to a means for keepin a constant and uniform tension on the warp in let-off beams, the device being particularly adapted for use in silk, cotton, and woolen looms. An important object of this invention is to provide a tensioning mechanismfor loom warp beams which is relatively simple in design and construction, which can be easily assembled upon the rotatable heads normally carried by the Warp beams, and which includes a simply operated means for varying thetension on the mechanism. In the conventional tensioning mechanisms presently employed in looms, brake bands are applied to the rotatable heads on the warp beams and weights are applied to the brake band both in front of and to the rear of the center of rotation of the beam. The counterweights maintained at the front end or forward of the'center of rotation of the beam will create slippage on one pick during the weaving process'inasmuch as the counterweight will often rest more securely on the floor and alter the tension on-the warp ends. Such an arrangement will cause marks to appear in the woven cloth and accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a tensioning means in the form of a brake band wherein the weights act'- ing on the brake band will be positioned only to the rear of the center of rotation of thewarp beam so that an even and constant adjusted tension will always be maintained on the warp ends. A further object of this invention is to provide a tensioningmechanism for loom warp beams including'a rotatable head comprising a brake band positioned about said head, said band including an inner discontinuous gripping ply and an outer tensioning ply secured about said inner ply having an end portion extending below said inner ply, cable means interconnecting the free ends of said inner play, means adjustably interconnecting said end portion of said'outer ply with said cable means and ameans for adjust ably securing a weight upon said second-named means whereby tension is applied to said inner plyto grip said rotatable head.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l isa rear elevational view 'of'the device shown assemble'dhon a 100m warp beam;

Figure 2 is asectional'iview.taken isubstane 3 dais-s. (o1. wee-c) 2. tially on the plane ofv section line 2+2 of Fig ure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating the manner in which the brake band engages the rotatable head, parts being broken away and shown in section;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a detail of construction; v

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially onthe plane of section line 55 of Figure 4; I

Figure 6 isa sectional View taken substantially on the plane of section line E-6 of Figure 5; v Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 1-=-1 of Figure 2; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of another detail of construction.

Specific reference is now made-to the drawings.

In the several viewsin the accompanying draw- Indicated generally at 10 is a conventional warp beam upon which is wound the Warp ends I2 and mounted upon the ends of this warp beam are the usual heads I4 including annular flanges I6.- The beam rotates around an axis formed by the-warp bracket pins IB and the brake band 20. is disposed about. the head 14 between the flanges it, the band being preferably fabricated of 1 woven material which is chemically treated to improve the resistance to wear Thebrake band includes an inner discontinuous band or gripping ply 22 adapted to'frictionally embrace the rotatable head I4 and an inner ply 24 which is also discontinuous and secured by any suitable means to the inner band. The brake band further includes an outer ply 26 which is secured'as at 28 by means of headed rivets to both the inner ply'and the inner band, see Figure 3, the outer ply including anend portion 30 which extends below the rotatable head Mas shown clearly in the drawings.

A cable means is provided for closing the brake band about the head and this means comprises a bracket 32' secured" by'rivets 34 to the inner ply and inner band adjacent one free-end thereof. The bracket 32 includes spaced apertured ears 36 and a pin38 extending between the ears. Secured by means of the previously mentioned rivets 28 to the outer ply, the inner ply and the inner band is a bracket 40 similar in construction to the bracket 32 including spaced aperturedz..earsi. 42' and a pinfl extendingg thereb 'eti'v'eenz A grooved roller-146 is secured to the pin 44 between the ears and a cable 48, preferably of wire, is entrained over the roller and includes an eye portion 49 at one end which engages the pin 38 between the apertured ears 36 on the first bracket 32.

A further means is provided for adjustably interconnecting the extended end 30 of the outer ply and the free end portion of the cable 48 so that a weight may be applied to this means to apply tension to the brake band and close it about the rotatable head. This means is shown in detail in Figures 4 and 6 and comprises the following structural elements. provided comprising side members 52 interconnected at their top and bottom ends by a suitable rod 54 and plate 55. Eccentrically mounted as at 58 between the side members 52 is a locking cam 60 having an actuating handle 62 and gripping teeth 64 at one portion of its outer edge. The extended portion 30 of the outer ply is assembled adjustably upon the bracket 58 in such a manner that one portion thereof extends along the side of the plate 56, is then wound about the bottom rod, 54, and is then made to extend between the eccentric cam 60 and the other face of the plate 56 in the form of a loop 68. By keeping the handle 62 of the cam down and in the position shown in Figure 5, the loop end of the outer ply extension 30 may be shortened or lengthened as desired upon the bracket 50 and when a downward force is applied to the bracket, the eccentric cam 64 will be caused to rotate to the position shown in Figure 2 wherein the gripping teeth 64 will engage the outer ply and wedge it against the plate 56. Thus it will be seen that the bracket 58 may be adjustably retained in vertical position upon the extended portion 30 of the outer ply. Secured transversely to the forward edges of the side members 52 of the bracket 50 are a pair of triangular plates 68 which are spaced from each other to provide parallel arms 10. slidably received between the arms is 'an angulated bar l2 having guide receses 14 on both sides thereof for receiving the parallel arms 18. An elongated slot 16 extends horizontally through the bar 12 anda headed bolt 18 is positioned through the parallel arms 78, the bar 12 and the elongated slot 76, a closure nut 80 being received on the free threaded end of the bolt as shown clearly in Figure 6. Thus it will be seen that by loosening the closure nut 80 the angulated bar 12 can be retained in an adjusted transverse position relative to the bracket 50. The upper edge of the angulated bar 12 is provided with a notch 82 for a purpose later to be described.

To adjustably secure the free end portion of the cable 48 to the bar 12, an elongated slot 84 is provided through the bar adjacent its free end and a headed bolt 86 is made to extend through the slot 84. The head 88 of the bolt 86 is provided with an arcuate recess 98 for slidably receiving a portion of the cable 48 and a closure nut 92 is theaded upon the bolt 86 to abut one face of the bar 12 and wedge the cable 48 between the other face of the bar 12 and the head 88 as shown clearly in Figure '7. Thus it will be seen that the cable 48 can be retained in vertically adjusted position on the free end of the bar 12 and also in longitudinally adjusted position by virtue of the elongated slot 84.

. To apply tension on the outer ply 30 and on the cable 48 so that thebrake band will be closed about the rotatable head l4, the following means is provided. A suitable support or stand 94 is A bracket 50 is 4 secured as at 96 to the floor and a lever bar 98 is pivoted for vertical movement as at I08 to the upper end of the support. Adjacent the free end of the lever 98 are provided a plurality of spaced notches I02 for selectively receiving a hook member I84 upon which is retained removable weights l86. Intermediate its ends, the lever 98 is extended transversely across the adjustable bar 12. the bottom edge of the lever 98 engaging at one point the notch 82 provided in the top edge of the bar 12. It will be noted that the notch 82 is positioned immediately adjacent the end of the bar 12 received between the parallel arms 16 and that the weights apply a downward force on the bar 12 in a position only to the rear 01 the center of rotation of the warp beam' l8.

Inpractical operation, the brake band is positioned about the rotatable head l4 and the bracket 58 is vertically adjusted upon the outer ply 38 in a desired position. The free end portion of the cable 48 is then vertically and longitudinally adjusted upon the bar 12 by means of the headed bolt 86 and the closure nut 92 and the bar 12 is then laterally adjusted relative to the bracket 58 by means of the headed bolt 78 and the closure nut 88. The lever bar 98 is then extended across the bar 12 and is made to engage the notch 82. Weights I06 are then applied upon the lever 98 to create the desired adjusted constant'tension on the brake band, the weights being applied'solely to the rear of the center of rotation of the warp beam H).

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain change fully comprehend-ed by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A tensioning mechanism for loom warp beams including a rotatable head comprising a brake band positioned about said head, said band including an inner discontinuous gripping ply and an outer tensioning ply secured about said inner ply having an end portion extending below said inner ply, a roller carried by one free end of said innerply and a cable secured to the other free end of said inner ply and entrained over said roller, means adjustably interconnecting said end portion of said outer ply with said cable, said means including a bracket, cam means for -ad-- justably retaining said end portion'of said outer ply upon said bracket, a bar, means for adjustablyretaining said bar transversely on said bracket and means for adjustably securing the free end of said cable upon said bar, said adjustable bar retaining means including parallel arms carried by said bracket slidably receiving said bar therebetween, an elongated slot in said bar, a headed bolt extending. through said arms and said slot, and a closure nut received on the free end of said bolt.

, 2. A tensioning mechanism for loom warp beams including a rotatable head comprising a brake band positioned about said head, said band including an inner discontinuous gripping ply and an outer tensioning ply secured about said inner ply having an end portion extending below said inner ply, cable means interconnecting the free ends of said inner ply, means adjustably interconnecting said end portion of said outer ply with said cable means, a means for adjustably securing a weight upon said second-named means whereby tension is applied to said inner ply to grip said rotatable head, said cable means including a roller carried by one free end of said inner ply and a cable secured to the other free end of said inner ply and entrained over said roller, said second-named means including a bracket, cam means for adjustably retaining said end portion of said outer ply upon said bracket, a bar, means for adjustably retaining said bar transversely on said bracket, and means for adjustably securing the free end of said cable upon said bar, said adjustable cable securing means including an elongated slot in said bar adjacent its free end, a headed bolt received in said slot, a closure nut on said bolt, and a recess in the head of said bolt receiving the free end of said cable, said cable being frictionally retained between said head and said bar.

3. A tensioning mechanism for loom warp beams including a rotatable head comprising a brake band positioned about said head, said band including an inner discontinuous gripping ply and an outer tensioning ply secured about said inner ply having an end portion extending below said inner ply, cable means interconnecting the free ends of said inner ply, means adjustably interconnecting said end portion of said outer ply with said cable means, a means for adjustably securing a weight upon said second-named means whereby tension is applied to said inner ply to grip said rotatable head, said cable means including a roller carried by one free end of said inner ply and a cable secured to the other free end of said inner ply and entrained over said roller, said second-named means including a bracket, cam means for adjustably retaining said end portion of said outer ply upon said bracket, a bar, means for adjustably retaining said bar transversely on said bracket, means for adjustably securing the free end of said cable upon said bar, said adjustable weight securing means including a lever pivoted for vertical movement upon a support, weights adjustably retained upon the free end of said lever, and a notch in said bar receiving said lever intermediate its ends, said weights being disposed to one side only of the center of rotation of said warp beams.

RAY M. TAYLOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 452,021 Schaum May 12, 1891 2,022,577 Taylor Nov. 26, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,811 Great Britain of 1857 494,076 Great Britain Oct. 19, 1938 

